Here's to a love found regardless of age and gender.

That which gets braver with every misjudgment and every doubt. 

Here's to a love that stands stronger amidst disagreements and despair. 

Here's to lovers, who at the end of each day, can still look into each others eyes and say "I love you" with all sincerity.

Here's to a love that withstands all odds.

Nowadays, people my age are slowly engaging in outdoor activities. Can't blame them. Hours in the office are, indeed, more tiring compared to hours spent outdoors. Most people find hiking and trekking, exhilarating. Long treks, challenging terrains and breathtaking views as rewards? C'mon, you can't argue with that! As for me though, I found something else. 

This is not known to many of my friends,  but being born and raised in a  mountainous province, I grew up trekking just for the sake of it. I lost count on how many times we have trekked the mountains of  nearby towns. When we were still in high school, we would trek every friday after class. No guides or trails, just our adventurous selves and our instincts. Now that I think of it, I kind of miss washing the mud off my PE shoes. Haha.

We're truly lucky to have experienced these activities while growing up. Its just rather paradoxical that neither of us engaged in mountain climbing after high school despite the fact that we were exposed in it at an early age. Perhaps it is that which consequently inspired us to try new activities as we grew older, to explore more. 

Since I enjoy challenging terrains and I'm in-love with water-related activities even as a kid, my kind of adventure should at least include both. Hence, my love for river/waterfall trekking, cave exploring/swimming or any of the sort. For me, there's nothing more rewarding than swimming in the deep, icy cold waters after a strenuous trek or cave exploration. It's like getting the best of both worlds. The panorama may not be as breathtaking as that of a summit,  but it's just as fulfilling. Plus, if you're up for thrills, go diving off a waterfall or a cliff. The higher and the deeper the water, the better. (For the record, I'm not a swimmer nor am I familiar with the technicalities of swimming. I'm a self-taught one but I can swim enough not to drown.) Diving is just an awesome way to top it off. I cannot justify this enough but trust me it's worth the fall. :)

                 

How about you? Have you found your happy medium?


(Photo credit: Jenny Siticer)

A year ago, I was invited to an all-expense-paid day tour to the bigger yet lesser-known brother of Anawagin Cove ---Talisayen Cove. According to one of the locals, the cove derived its name from talisay  (or commonly referred to as lugo tree or umbrella tree), which used to be abundant in the area. It took us more or less an hour of boat ride going to this cove as it's farther from the shores of Pundaquit. 

The features of Talisayen is very similar to that of the other coves of San Antonio: clean and calm waters, light gray sand, and the plethora of agoo trees.  Talisayen doesn't have a lagoon unlike Anawangin or waterfalls unlike Nagsasa, but it does have a wider shoreline. Perhaps twice as wide as Anawangin. 

The rocky side of the cove, en route to the view deck. Nice spot to have a pictorial. He-he. From here you'll reach the view deck in about five minutes as the trail is just short and easy. 

Compared to Anawagin and Nagsasa cove, Talisayen have a concrete view deck. It's like a huge balcony atop the hill. This is a double-edged sword, though. With the balcony, there's no need to worry if you'll slip or if you're standing too close to the cliff. On the other hand, it also altered the natural structure of the hill.  Either way, the azure sea was truly a sight to behold. 

(c) Shella Limos

If you're trying to relax and avoid the crowd then this is the cove for you. What makes it favorable over the other coves is its quietude. It's not as commercialized and crowded as the others. Also, if you're not into camping, cottages are available for rent. 

Just a friendly reminder, the waves are stronger in the afternoon. So if anyone in your group is faint-hearted, I suggest you guys leave earlier when the sea's calmer. Remember, the cove is an hour or so away from Pundaquit, so it'll be one hella of a boat ride.

Way back in highschool, we were asked to identify one historical place in Zambales, visit the site, make a presentation and paper about it as a part of our final requirement in History. This shouldn't be a problem since there are a lot of historical places in the province that are accessible, plus written sources are readily available. However, our group wanted to take it to the next level, so we rooted for Mt. Pinatubo. 

Geographically speaking, Mt. Pinatubo is situated at Botolan, Zambales, which is just about an hour away from our hometown, San Narciso. Going to the actual site from Botolan proper is another story. We were told that the trail was only known to the Aetas and that it would take us days to reach the crater. With that being said, we opted for our Plan B. Not a bad choice actually, we still got a high grade. Hehe

Anyhow, it was not until 2013, when I resided in Clark, Pampaga,  that I learned about the alternative route to Mt. Pinatubo --- via Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac. The route is safer and easier that the trek can be done in a day. I told myself I have to go ASAP while I'm still not that busy. I intended to travel DIY style, as always,  but this time it turned out to be more expensive to travel solo, so I searched for the cheapest public tour online. 

Gladly, I found TriPinas!  They were offering the cheapest All-in Pinatubo public tour so I booked immediately. My transaction with them was uber fast and hassle-free, I must say. 

I told my father about my plan and he asked if he can tag along. Though I wasn't that sure if he is still fit to do so, it's not everyday that he would volunteer on trips like that so I agreed without hesitations. Perfect timing as this served as our Father-Daughter Post-Valentines date. I'm not loveless, mind you, but I just wanted to approach this day differently, meaning, to stray away from all the cheesiness, or bitterness, if I may add, that this day usually brings. Ergo, yes to the outdoors! :)

(Grand) Canyon de Pinatubo? Look how happy he is. :)

Ms. Ann herself,  the head/founder of TriPinas, was our tour coordinator that day. Everything was organized and in accordance to the itinerary. Kudos!

Considered as a minor hike, the trail's easy and beginner-friendly. Perfect for those who want to try hiking or trekking for the first time. We used the old way so it took us more or less two hours to reach the crater. The first part of the trail was a lahar (lava) area so almost everything's just dry and hot, hot, hot. For me, the scorching sun had to be the biggest hurdle in this terrain, as there were no trees or huge rocks to seek shade to. Good thing there were some small stream crossings which helped us cool down a bit. As we passed through some lush vegetation, we knew that we're just a few steps away from the crater. 

I wasn't expecting to be this chilly here, so hello for a sunbath! :)

Upon reaching the crater, Ms. Ann gave a quick lecture about the history of Mt. Pinatubo. She also explained why the color of crater lake differ from time to time. Apparently, we were eluded by the blue green algae, the ones responsible for the turquoise color of the lake. The lake was somewhere between dark green to blue green when we were there.  Nonetheless, it's just as rewarding. 

The Majestic Mt. Pinatubo, February 2014.

Adieu, Your Majesty. Hope to see you soon in turquoise. :)

(All photos were taken by yours truly. Self portraits were shot with the use of an improvised tripod.)